Woodware Baubles for All Crafts Christmas

      We are sponsored by Woodware again this month at All Crafts Challenge and have been given some goodies to play with that had a real Christmas feel to them, so here is part two of my creation. For part one click here.
     I have triple embossed one side of each bauble, they both had two layers of clear UTEE, then the blue one had  a layer of Luna White UTEE and the cream one a layer of Aged Ivory UTEE. By using clear to build up the depth before adding colour I use less of the precious fancy powder.
     For those who are not familiar with tripple embossing it's three layers of powder built up by inking and powdering to achieve a deep enamel that can be stamped into giving texture to your design. The most important thing to remember is to have your stamp inked and ready to go as soon as the powder is molten as it sets quickly, if it doesn't work first time it can be re-melted and try again.

      The cream bauble is stamped into with Archival Coffee on a JustRite stamp, with a scene taken from an old Christmas card stuck on the back. The edges have been sprinkled with the same ivory embossing powder, take card not to overheat as the other side may melt again.  There is a thin gold cord attached to the tiny whole at the top before being covered with two cream organza ribbon bows.

     The blue bauble has been stamped with Archival Cobalt on a snowflake stamp, then a small clear gem added to the middle. Again I have used an old Christmas card for the picture on the back, but you could use photographs to personalise your baubles, just take care when heating. This has the Luna powder around the edge of the picture to bring it all together. A thin silver string for this one and some more of the organza ribbon, this time coloured blue with an alcohol marker.
     The reason I have added the picture side last is when triple embossing there is a lot of heating and I didn't think the picture would hold up to it very well. If you emboss the edges at the end it will also help cover up any little blemishes or uneven bits making your bauble look more professional.
     We are a Non Card multicraft challenge at All Crafts Challenges so please come and join us with your creations, they don't have to be Christmas projects either.

I would like to enter these baubles in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Early Christmas Makes
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Embossing
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything goes
Completely Christmas - Anything Goes

Heat embossing at Taverham

    Next months workshop at Sew Simple in Taverham, Norfolk will be 'Heat Embossing Techniques'. This workshop has been requested by some of the crafters at Sew Simple and we are always happy to oblige if we can. It will be on wednesday 24th April.
   
    This tag has a mixture of resist embossing, ultra thick and image embossing. There are several more techniques that we will try on the day as well as some different powders to use that will give very different effects. If you would like to join us then please give Sew Simple a call or follow this link here to see the details.
 
    Workshops at Taverham are light hearted and chatty mornings where we learn new techniques, brush up on old ones and generally swap ideas and share inspiration so please come along and join us if you can.
   

How Time Flies

    This is for a new challenge blog that's just started this month, SanDee & amelie's Steampunk Challenges. As you can tell by the title it's a steampunk site which I am SO pleased about, there are very few steampunk challenges around so a dedicated blog is fantastic news. This month it's cuckoo clocks.
   I began with a white tag which I coloured using Distress Inks Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge, then I spritzed it with water and blotted off. I have a border mask of cogs which I put down the side and coloured over with more Distress Ink Rusty Hinge. I have used a crackle stamp on the opposite side in Archival Ink Coffee. The Coffee brown stamped cogs are a stamp from Inkadinkado - Steampunk. The chimney is also stamped in Coffee brown with a stamp from Eco-Green Crafts - Steampunk Accessories 1. The tag is edged with Distress Ink Aged Mahogany to darken it a little.
   The gold cogs are die cut using DoCrafts die - Chronology Cogs in patterned mirri card and fastened on to the tag with big brass effect paper fasteners from the office supply shop.

    The cuckoo clock is cut from greyboard and coloured with Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy and then stamped with the crackle stamp in Coffee brown, it also has a small die cut hole for the cuckoo backed with black card. The roof is another piece of greyboard coloured with Distress Ink Forest Moss and mounted with foam pads. There are two charms on chain hanging from the bottom of the clock fixed with tiny brads. The clock is mounted on foam pads on the tag so the charms hang free.

   The clock face is from the same Inkadinkado stamp set as the cogs but stamped on white card and embossed in gold. I stamped them twice so that I could cut and layer the wings.
   The cuckoo is cut from greyboard and triple embossed with UTEE. The first two layers were clear and the last layer was gold and copper. I inked up the cog stamp with Coffee brown before heating the last layer and then while it was still soft stamped into it to get the texture.
   There are two copper eyelets  near the top and it is finished off with a gold edged copper crinkled ribbon.
   I have really enjoyed making this tag for the challenge and now I'm planning what I could make for the 3D section too. I love this style and find it much easier than making cute cards...must be the tomboy in me!!